Heatsealable filter materials

ABSTRACT

Described are a filter material which contains heatsealable, biodegradable and compostable polymeric fibers and is characterized in that it additionally contains a lubricant in an amount from 0.5 to 5.0% by weight, based on the paper weight of the ready-produced filter material, and also processes for producing same.

[0001] The present invention relates to a heatsealable filter materialhaving excellent hot water stability and biodegradability, comprisingfibers composed of a heatsealable, biodegradable and compostablematerial and a lubricant.

[0002] It is known to pack tea or other goods into bags which areinfused with hot water for use. These bags typically are made up of afirst ply of a porous material composed of natural fibers and of asecond ply composed of hot-melting polymeric fibers such as for examplePP, PE or various interpolymers. This second ply serves to close the bagby heatsealing on high-speed packing machines.

[0003] This bag material can be produced in known manner by a wet-laidprocess on a paper machine, by a dry-laid process on a webbing machineor by a melt-blown process by laydown of polymeric fibers on a supportlayer.

[0004] The basis weight of the first ply of the material is generally inthe range 8-40 g/m² and preferably in the range 10-20 g/m², the basisweight of the second polymeric fibrous ply is in the range 1-15 g/m² andpreferably in the range 1.5-10 g/m².

[0005] It is known that used filter bags are disposed of on a compostheap or via the biowaste bin. After a certain period, which depends onfurther parameters such as temperature, moisture, microorganisms, etc,the natural fiber component of the filter bag will have disintegratedand become biodegraded, whereas the thermoplastic polymeric fibrousnetwork remains intact and compromises the quality of the compost.

[0006] It is not practicable to separate the natural fiber componentfrom the thermoplastic polymeric component; that is, the used filter bagought to be put into the nonrecyclable waste (Gray Bin).

[0007] EP-A-0 380 127 describes a heatsealable paper for tea bags whichhas a basis weight of 10-15 g/m² and which for heatsealing has beenprovided with polymers such as PP, PE or an interpolymer and thereforeis not biodegradable.

[0008] EP-A-0 656 224 describes a filter material especially forproducing tea bags and coffee bags or filters having a basis weightbetween 8 and 40 g/m², wherein the heatsealable ply consists ofpolymeric fibers, preferably of polypropylene or polyethylene, which islaid down in the soft state onto the first ply, which consists ofnatural fibers.

[0009] JP-A-2001-131826 describes the production of biodegradablemonofilaments from poly L lactide and the subsequent productiontherefrom of wholly synthetic woven tea bags by a dry-laid process.

[0010] The German patent application DE-A 21 47 321 describes athermoplastic heatsealable composition which consists of a polyolefinpowder (polyethylene or polypropylene) which is embedded in a carriermatrix of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer. This material islikewise used for conferring heatsealability on fiber material producedby a papermaking process.

[0011] DE-A-197 19 807 describes a biodegradable heatsealable filtermaterial of at least one ply of natural fibers and at least one secondply of heatsealable synthetic material which is biodegradable. Thisfilter material is obtained by first applying an aqueous suspension ofnatural fibers to a paper machine wire and then depositing theheatsealable biodegradable polymeric fibers on the natural fiber layerin such a way that they are able to partly penetrate through the naturalfiber layer.

[0012] A tea filter bag, for example, produced from this filter materialhas a high particle retention potential. However, this is bought at theexpense of reduced air permeability. Yet., high air permeability coupledwith good particle retention is the ultimate objective for any goodfilter material.

[0013] Prior art filter materials thus suffer from at least one of thefollowing disadvantages:

[0014] 1. The used filter materials such as for example tea bags, coffeebags or else other filters are frequently disposed of on a compost heapor in the biowaste bin. After a certain period, which depends on furtherparameters such as temperature, moisture, microorganisms, etc, thenatural fiber component of the filter will have disintegrated and becomebiodegraded, whereas the thermoplastic polymeric fibrous networkcomposed of polymeric fibers which do not biodegrade completely remainsintact and compromises the quality of the compost.

[0015] And/or

[0016] 2. The use of fully biodegradable polymeric materials known byprior art for tea bags and similar filter papers leads to the heatsealseams formed on a tea bag not withstanding a temperature of about90-100° C.

[0017] This is because the production of heatsealed filled tea bags onhigh-speed packing machines occurs at a cycle time of about 1 000 bagsper minute.

[0018] So-called heatsealing rolls generally seal the bag at atemperature of 150-230° C. in a cycle time of less than 1 second. In thecourse of these short cycle times, the heatsealing material has to melt,adhere together and immediately resolidify and crystallize in orderthat, in further transportation, the bag is already resealed and nocontents may escape.

[0019] As mentioned above, however, prior art materials do not meet therequirements of this operation.

[0020] It is an object of the present invention to provide abiodegradable and compostable filter material having excellentheatsealability and good seal seam strength in the dry and in the wetstate.

[0021] It is another object of the present invention to describe aprocess for producing such filter materials.

[0022] It has now been found that, surprisingly, incorporating specificlubricants is a way to overcome the above-described disadvantages ofprior art filter materials and to provide filter materials which arebiodegradable and compostable and at the same time provide excellentproperties with regard to heatsealability and seal seam strength.

[0023] The present invention accordingly provides a filter materialwhich contains heatsealable, biodegradable and compostable polymericfibers and is characterized in that it additionally contains a lubricantin an amount from 0.5 to 5.0% by weight, based on the paper weight ofthe ready-produced filter material.

[0024] The conjoint use of the heatsealable, biodegradable andcompostable polymeric fibers and of the lubricant in the specifiedamount confers on the filter material according to the present inventionthe property that heatseal seams formed using the filter materialaccording to the present invention (as described above) by means of aheatsealing roll is highly stable to hot water. As used herein, “stableto hot water” for the purposes of the present invention is understood tomean that a heatseal seam of a filter bag produced from the filtermaterial according to the present invention will still be intact after a4 min infusion.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the filter material according to thepresent invention may be heatsealed by ultrasound treatment.

[0026] By “biodegradable and compostable polymeric fibers”, which areused according to the present invention, we understand fullybiodegradable and compostable polymeric fibers as per German standardspecification DIN 54900.

[0027] The lubricants which are useful according to the presentinvention are compounds which lead to improved lubricity for thepolymeric fibers and thus augment and improve the congregation andorientation of crystalline zones. This increases the polymeric fibers'fraction of crystalline zones.

[0028] Such lubricants are well known to one skilled in the art. Theyare hydrocarbon oils or waxes or silicone oils. In a preferredembodiment, useful lubricants for the purposes of the present inventionconsist of fatty acid esters of long-chain fatty acids having a chainlength from 10 to 40 carbon atoms, for example a fatty acid estermarketed by Henkel under the name Loxiol.

[0029] Preferably, the lubricant is present in the filter material ofthe present invention in an amount from 1.0 to 3.0% by weight.

[0030] Without wishing to be bound by any one theory, the inventors ofthe present invention currently believe that the employment of alubricant benefits rapid recrystallization of the polymeric fibers,which is particularly necessary and helpful for heatseal strength, sothat adjacent fibers in the weave very rapidly congregate to comparablecrystallization zones which then develop to an increased extent.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the filter material of the presentinvention further contains a crystallization seed material whichaugments the crystallization of the fibers composed of the heatsealable,biodegradable and compostable material at heatsealing.

[0032] Useful crystallization seed materials for the purposes of thepresent invention include inorganic materials such as talc, kaolin orsimilar materials, customarily in a very finely divided form.

[0033] The particle size of the crystallization seed material iscustomarily in the range from 0.1 to 5 μm.

[0034] The amount of crystallization seed material added is customarilyin the range from 0.01 to 1.0% by weight.

[0035] The starting materials for the fibers composed of theheatsealable, biodegradable and compostable material are according tothe present invention fibers of polymers which are selected from thegroup of the aliphatic or partly aromatic polyesteramides and aliphaticor partly aromatic polyesters.

[0036] Specifically, they are the following polymers:

[0037] aliphatic or partly aromatic polyesters:

[0038] A) from aliphatic bifunctional alcohols, preferably linear C₂ toC₁₀ dialcohols such as for example ethanediol, butanediol, hexanediol ormore preferably butanediol and/or optionally cycloaliphatic bifunctionalalcohols, preferably having 5 or 6 carbon atoms in the cycloaliphaticring, such as for example cyclohexanedimethanol, and/or, partly orwholly instead of the diols, monomeric or oligomeric polyols based onethylene glycol, propylene glycol, tetrahydrofuran or copolymers thereofhaving molecular weights up to 4 000, preferably up to 1 000, and/oroptionally small amounts of branched bifunctional alcohols, preferablyC₃-C₁₂ alkyldiols, such as for example neopentylglycol, and additionallyoptionally small amounts of more highly functional alcohols such as forexample 1,2,3-propanetriol or trimethylolpropane, and from aliphaticbifunctional acids, preferably C₂-C₁₂ alkyldicarboxylic acids, such asfor example and preferably succinic acid, adipic acid and/or optionallyaromatic bifunctional acids such as for example terephthalic acid,phthalic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid and additionally optionallysmall amounts of more highly functional acids such as for exampletrimellitic acid, or

[0039] B) from acid- and alcohol-functionalized building blocks,preferably having 2 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain for examplehydroxybutyric acid, hydroxyvaleric acid, lactic acid, or derivativesthereof, for example ε-caprolactone or dilactide,

[0040]  or a mixture and/or a copolymer containing A and B,

[0041]  subject to the proviso that the aromatic acids do not accountfor more than a 50% by weight fraction, based on all acids;

[0042] aliphatic or partly aromatic polyesteramides:

[0043] C) from aliphatic bifunctional alcohols, preferably linear C₂ toC₁₀ dialcohols such as for example ethanediol, butanediol, hexanediol ormore preferably butanediol and/or optionally cycloaliphatic bifunctionalalcohols, preferably having 5 to 8 carbon atoms in the cycloaliphaticring, such as for example cyclohexanedimethanol, and/or, partly orwholly instead of the diols, monomeric or oligomeric polyols based onethylene glycol, propylene glycol, tetrahydrofuran or copolymers thereofhaving molecular weights up to 4 000, preferably up to 1 000, and/oroptionally small amounts of branched bifunctional alcohols, preferablyC₂-C₁₂ alkyldicarboxylic acids, such as for example neopentylglycol, andadditionally optionally small amounts of more highly functional alcoholssuch as for example 1,2,3-propanetriol or trimethylolpropane, and fromaliphatic bifunctional acids, such as for example and preferablysuccinic acid, adipic acid and/or optionally aromatic bifunctional acidssuch as for example terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid,naphthalenedicarboxylic acid and additionally optionally small amountsof more highly functional acids such as for example trimellitic acid, or

[0044] D) from acid- and alcohol-functionalized building blocks,preferably having 2 to 12 carbon atoms in the carbon chain for examplehydroxybutyric acid, hydroxyvaleric acid, lactic acid, or derivativesthereof, for example ε-caprolactone or dilactide,

[0045]  or a mixture and/or a copolymer containing C) and D),

[0046]  subject to the proviso that the aromatic acids do not accountfor more than a 50% by weight fraction, based on all acids,

[0047] E) with an amide fraction from aliphatic and/or cycloaliphaticbifunctional and/or optionally small amounts of branched bifunctionalamines, preference is given to linear aliphatic C₂ to C₁₀ diamines, andadditionally optionally small amounts of more highly functional amines,among amines: preferably hexamethylenediamine, isophoronediamine andmore preferably hexamethylenediamine, and from linear and/orcycloaliphatic bifunctional acids, preferably having 2 to 12 carbonatoms in the alkyl chain or C₅ or C₆ ring in the case of cycloaliphaticacids, preferably adipic acid, and/or optionally small amounts ofbranched bifunctional and/or optionally aromatic bifunctional acids suchas for example terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid,naphthalenedicarboxylic acid and additionally optionally small amountsof more highly functional acids, preferably having 2 to 10 carbon atoms,or

[0048] F) with from an amide fraction of acid- and amine-functionalizedbuilding blocks, preferably having 4 to 20 carbon atoms in thecycloaliphatic chain, preferably ω-laurolactam, ε-caprolactam, and morepreferably ε-caprolactam,

[0049]  or a mixture containing E) and F) as an amide fraction, subjectto the proviso that

[0050]  the ester fraction C) and/or D) is at least 20% by weight, basedon the sum total of C), D), E) and F), preferably the weight fraction ofthe ester structures is in the range from 20 to 80% by weight and thefraction of amide structures is in the range from 80 to 20% by weight.

[0051] All the monomers mentioned as acids can also be used in the formof derivatives such as for example acyl chlorides or esters, not only asmonomers but also as oligomeric esters.

[0052] The synthesis of the biodegradable and compostablepolyesteramides used according to the present invention can be effectednot only according to the polyamide method, by stoichiometric mixing ofthe starting components optionally with addition of water and subsequentremoval of water from the reaction mixture, but also according to thepolyester method, by stoichiometric mixing of the starting componentsand also addition of an excess of diol with esterification of the acidgroups and subsequent transesterification or transamidation of theseesters. In this second case, not only water is distilled off again butalso the excess of diol. The synthesis according to the polyester methoddescribed is preferred.

[0053] The polycondensation can further be speeded by the use of knowncatalysts. Not only the familiar phosphorus compounds, which speed up apolyamide synthesis, but also acidic or organometallic catalysts for theesterification as well as combinations of the two are possible forspeeding the polycondensation.

[0054] Care must be taken to ensure that any catalysts used do notadversely affect either the biodegradability or compostability or thequality of the resulting compost.

[0055] Furthermore, the polycondensation to form polyesteramides can beinfluenced by the use of lysine, lysine derivatives or of otheramidically branching products such as for exampleaminoethylaminoethanol, which not only speed the condensation but alsolead to branched products (see for example EP-A-0 641 817; DE-A-38 31709).

[0056] The production of polyesters is common knowledge or is carriedout similarly to existing processes (cf. for example EP-A-0 592 975).

[0057] The polyesters or polyesteramides used according to the presentinvention may further contain 0.1 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 3%by weight and especially 0.1 to 1% by weight of additives, based on thepolymer (cf. also description of the polymers). Examples of theseadditives are modifiers and/or filling and reinforcing materials and/orprocessing assistants such as for example nucleating assistants,customary plasticizers, demolding assistants, flame retardants, impactmodifiers, colorants, stabilizers and other addition agents customary inthe thermoplastics sector, although care must be taken to ensure withregard to the biodegradability requirement that complete compostabilityis not impaired by the additives and the additives which remain in thecompost are harmless.

[0058] The biodegradable and compostable polyesters and polyesteramideshave a molecular weight which is generally in the range from 5 000 to500 000 g/mol, advantageously in the range from 5 000 to 350 000 g/moland are preferably in the range from 10 000 to 250 000 g/mol, determinedby gel chromatography (GPC) for example in m-cresol against apolystyrene standard. Preferably, the biodegradable and compostablepolymers are random copolymers if they are copolymers.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment, the fibers composed of theheatsealable, biodegradable and compostable material are drawn,heatsealable, biodegradable and compostable polymeric fibers.

[0060] The drawn, heatsealable, biodegradable and compostable polymericfibers used according to the present invention customarily have a lineardensity (DIN 1301, T1) in the range from 0.1 to 10 dtex and preferablyin the range from 1.0 to 6 dtex.

[0061] These are present in the filter material according to the presentinvention in an amount which is customarily in the range from 0.05 to50% by weight, based on the paper weight of the ready-produced filtermaterial, advantageously in an amount from 0.1 to 45% by weight andpreferably in an amount from 1.0 to 35% by weight.

[0062] The drawn, heatsealable, biodegradable and compostable polymericfibers useful according to the present invention exhibit a draw ratiowhich is customarily in the range from 1.2 to 8 and preferably in therange from 2 to 6. The crystallization of the polymeric fibers which isinduced by this drawing increases the boiling water resistance of thesefibers after heatsealing.

[0063] The draw ratio referred to in connection with the presentinvention was determined in a manner which is generally known to oneskilled in the relevant art.

[0064] The draw ratio required according to the present invention can beachieved in the course of the production of the polymeric fibers whichare useful according to the present invention by performing thepolymeric fiber production according to a melt-spinning process oncommercially available spinning equipment so as to produce polymericfibers having a draw ratio in the range from 1.2 to 8 and preferably inthe range from 2 to 6. The following parameters have been determined tobe beneficial process parameters for the production of preferred drawnpolymeric fibers which are useful according to the present invention:

[0065] spinning temperature: 180 to 250° C., preferably 190 to 240° C.;

[0066] cooling air temperature: 10 to 60° C., preferably 20 to 50° C.;

[0067] hot drawing at 85 to 180° C., preferably 120 to 160° C.

[0068] The drawing of the polymeric fibers is customarily carried out inthe presence of a hydrophilic substance in order that the water uptakemay be improved owing to its wetting properties.

[0069] In a preferred embodiment, the polymeric fibers obtained on thespinning equipment after drawing are further heatset. This serves tominimize shrinkage of the drawn polymeric fibers. This heatsetting iscustomarily effected by a thermal treatment of the drawn polymericfibers at temperatures from 10 to 40° C. below the respective meltingpoint of the polymeric fibers.

[0070] The drawn polymeric fibers obtained are further customarily cutto a length in the range from 1 to 20 mm, advantageously in the rangefrom 1 to 10 mm and preferably in the range from 2 to 6 mm as part ofthe filter material production operation before the drawn polymericfibers are incorporated. This cutting of the polymeric fibers obtainedis customarily effected using commercially available cutting tools forfilaments.

[0071] In a preferred embodiment, the filter material according to thepresent invention may be heatsealed by ultrasound treatment.

[0072] In a preferred embodiment, the starting materials for the drawnpolymeric fibers are polyesteramides having an ester fraction from 40%by weight to 65% by weight (inclusive) and an amide fraction from 35% byweight to 60% by weight (inclusive), for example a polyesteramide formedfrom 66 salt, adipic acid, butanediol having an amide content of 60% byweight and an ester content of 40% by weight and a weight averagemolecular weight of 19 300 (determined by GPC in m-cresol againstpolystyrene standard).

[0073] In a particularly preferred manner, the starting materials usedfor the drawn polymeric fibers are according to the present inventionthose having a moisture content of 0.1% by weight or less, based on thestarting material polymer, preferably those having a moisture content of0.01% by weight or less, in order that disruptions to the spinning anddrawing of the polymeric fibers may be prevented.

[0074] The filter materials according to the present invention, as wellas the fibers composed of a heatsealable, biodegradable and compostablematerial, contain natural fibers and/or cellulose derivative fibers inan amount from 50 to 99.95% by weight, based on the paper weight of theready-produced filter material, advantageously in an amount from 65 to99.9% by weight and preferably in an amount from 80 to 99.5% by weight.

[0075] Useful natural fibers for the purposes of the present inventioninclude natural fibers known to one skilled in the art, such as hemp,manila, jute, sisal and others, and also long fiber wood pulp.

[0076] An embodiment of the filter materials according to the presentinvention and their production will now be more particularly described.

[0077] In general, the filter materials according to the presentinvention, as well as the fibers composed of a heatsealable,biodegradable and compostable material and the lubricant, comprise atleast one further component which comprises or preferably consists ofnatural fibers.

[0078] In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the filtermaterial according to the present invention is thus produced from two ormore plies of different components, at least one ply containing naturalfibers and one ply containing a blend of fibers of a heatsealable,biodegradable and compostable material and lubricant, such that the atleast two plies are able to partly interpenetrate each other afterproduction of the filter material. The degree of interpenetration of theplies can be controlled through the production process of the filtermaterial, for example by controlling the degree of dewatering on thescreen in the case of a paper machine being used.

[0079] In the case of the filter material according to the presentinvention being produced on a paper machine, the second ply typicallycomprises a blend of natural fibers, fibers of a heatsealable,biodegradable and compostable material and lubricant. This blend can belaid down on the first ply of natural fibers on the paper machine and sobe fused with each other as well as with the paper ply.

[0080] In the case of the filter material according to the presentinvention being produced by a melt-blown process, the second plytypically comprises a fiber blend of heatsealable, biodegradable andcompostable material and lubricant. This fiber blend may be melt-blownonto the first ply of natural fibers and so be fused with each other aswell as with the paper ply.

[0081] The first ply of the filter material has a basis weight which isgenerally between 8 and 40 g/m² and preferably in the range from 10 to20 g/m² and a DIN ISO 9237 air permeability in the range from 300 to 4000 l/m²•s and preferably in the range from 500 to 3 000 l/m²•s.

[0082] The second ply of the filter material has a basis weight which isgenerally between 1 and 15 g/m² and preferably in the range from 1.5 to10 g/m².

[0083] The first ply of the filter material (comprising or preferablyconsisting of natural fibers) is preferably constructed to have wetstrength.

[0084] The first ply (comprising or preferably consisting of naturalfibers) utilizes according to the invention typically known naturalfibers, such as hemp, manila, jute, sisal and other long fiber woodpulps and also preferably mixtures thereof.

[0085] The second ply may contain or consist of a mixture of fiberscomposed of a heatsealable, biodegradable and compostable material andlubricant. The second ply, especially in the case of the filter materialaccording to the present invention being produced on a paper machine,preferably, as well as the above constituents, comprises a furtherconstituent, especially natural fibers, and mixing ratios of 1/3 naturalfibers and 2/3 mixture of cellulose derivative and polymeric fibers areparticularly preferred.

[0086] The filter material according to the present invention may beused for example for producing tea bags, coffee bags or tea or coffeefilters.

[0087] As observed above, the process for producing the filter materialsaccording to the present invention can be controlled in such a way thatthe heatsealable, biodegradable and compostable fibers of the second plypartially interpenetrate the first ply and thus encase the fibers of thefirst ply, preferably the natural fibers of the first ply, in the moltenstate in the course of the drying operation on the paper machine forexample. However, according to the present invention, the necessarypores for filtration are left unblocked.

[0088] A production process which may be used according to the presentinvention will now be more particularly described by way of example fora two-ply filter material with reference to the drawings, where

[0089]FIG. 1 illustrates the various stages in the formation of theinventive filter material from natural fibers and synthetic fibers forthe example of the use of a paper machine in a general, broadlyschematic diagram.

[0090]FIG. 1 illustrates the formation of the filter material accordingto the present invention in a schematic diagram. FIG. 1a) depicts theformation of a first fibrous layer consisting of natural fibers 1 andthe formation of a second fibrous layer comprising synthetic,biodegradable and compostable heatsealable fibers 2. The formation ofthe second layer comprising the fibers 2 thus takes place by laydownatop the first layer, which is formed by the natural fibers 1. Todistinguish them in the drawing, the natural fibers 1 are shown withhorizontal hatching and the heatsealable fibers 2 with approximatelyvertical hatching.

[0091]FIG. 1b) shows how the described dewatering of the two layers,especially of the second layer comprising the fibers 2, achieves apartial interpenetration of the two layers, so that the synthetic fibers2 end up between the natural fibers 1.

[0092] In a further production step, the mutually partiallyinterpenetrating layers 1 and 2 are dried and in the course of dryingheated such that the synthetic fibers 2 melt and, on resolidifying, cometo surround the fibers 1 such that these are at least partially encased.The filter material has thus been rendered heatsealable (FIG. 1c)).

[0093]FIG. 2 shows the fundamental construction of a paper machine ascan be used for producing a filter material according to the presentinvention. First, a suspension “A” is formed from the beaten naturalfibers and water. In addition, a suspension “B” is prepared with theblend of fibers of a heatsealable, biodegradable and compostablematerial and lubricant and optionally a fraction of other fibers, forexample natural fibers, and also water.

[0094] These two suspensions A and B are fed from the respective vessels(3 and 4) via the head box to the paper machine. It possessesessentially a circulating screen (5) which travels across a number ofdewatering chambers (6, 7 and 8).

[0095] Suitable piping and pumping means (not depicted) are used to passthe suspension A onto the screen 5 above the first two dewateringchambers 6, the water being sucked away through the chambers 6 and thedewatering line. In the process, a first layer of the natural fibers 1is formed on the moving screen 5. As the screen 5 continues to travelacross the dewatering chambers 7 the second suspension B is supplied,and the second layer of synthetic fibers is laid down on top of thefirst layer above the dewatering chambers 7. In the process, dewateringtakes place through the dewatering line. In the course of the furthermovement of the screen 5 bearing the two superposed fibrous layers, adewatering operation is conducted above the dewatering chambers 8, as aresult of which the two layers come to partially interpenetrate eachother. The degree of interpenetration can be varied through appropriateadjustment of the degree of dewatering.

[0096] The resultant formed material 9, composed of natural fibers andpolymeric fibers, is then taken off the screen and sent to a dryingoperation. This drying operation can be effected in various ways, forexample by contact drying or flowthrough drying.

[0097] The elements 10 are merely a rough diagrammatic suggestion ofappropriate drying elements.

[0098]FIG. 2 by reference numeral 10 identifies 3 drying cylinders, viawhich the formed paper web is contact dried. However, it is alsopracticable to lead the resultant paper web over one cylinder only andto dry it with hot air without the web resting on this cylinder.

[0099] The heating of the two-ply fibrous material causes the syntheticfibers 2 in the mixed layer 9 to melt. As they resolidify at the exitfrom the drying station, the synthetic fibers come to at least partiallyencase the natural fibers and the heatsealable filter material is woundup on a roll 11.

[0100] The biodegradable and compostable filter material according tothe present invention may further be produced by a melt-blown process aswill now be described for a two-ply filter material:

[0101] When the mixture of biodegradable and compostable polymer andlubricant that forms the second ply is in the form of granulate, it maybe melt-blown into fibers which are laid down, while still hot andtacky, on a substrate, for example a paper composed of natural fibers.

[0102] This operation forms part of the prior art (see for exampleEP-A-0 656 224, DE-A-197 19 807), but the fundamentals of the processdepicted in FIG. 3 will now be briefly discussed nonetheless:

[0103] The dried granulate 12 is transported into an extruder 13, whereit is melted and heated to the temperature needed for fiber formation.This molten and heated mixture then arrives at the MB die 14. This diehas a large number of small openings through which the molten polymermixture is pressed and pulled to form fibers. These fibers 15 emergedirectly under this die into a high-velocity air stream which furtherattenuates them and breaks them up into different lengths and are laiddown on a collecting surface, for example on a paper of natural fibers16 which rests on an aspirator roll 17. Since these fibers are still inthe hot, tacky state, they adhere to the natural fibers of the paper.The material is then wound up in the cooled state on the winder 18. Thetypical diameters of these melt-blown fibers are between 2 and 7 μm.FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the melt-blown process.

EXAMPLE 1

[0104] First, a single-ply filter material having a basis weight ofabout 13 g/m² was produced on a paper machine by the wet-laid processfrom natural fibers (mixture of 35% by weight of manila fibers and 65%by weight of softwood pulp). The filter material was given a treatmentto enhance its wet strength.

[0105] The above-described filter material was then coated with about3.5 g/m² of biodegradable polymeric fibers and a lubricant (Loxiol fromHenkel) on a conventional state-of-the-art melt-blown system at a linearspeed of about 130 m/min (99.5% of biodegradable polyesteramide, 0.5% ofLoxiol). The temperatures at the individual zones of the spinneret dieswere 224-227° C. in this run.

[0106] Tea bags were then fabricated by hand from this 2-ply filtermaterial and filled with 1.9 g of tea. These ready-fabricated tea bagswere then sealed on all four sides using an HSE-3 commercial sealingapparatus from RDM. Parameter: temperature: 210° C. time:  0.5 secpressure:  3 bar

[0107] Infusion test: three arbitrarily selected tea bags fabricated inaccordance with the above description had boiling water poured over themand were allowed to infuse for 4 min.

[0108] None of the bags came undone.

EXAMPLE 2

[0109] The run described above was continued under the same conditionsexcept for a changed polyesteramide-Loxiol content.

[0110] a. 99% of biodegradable polyesteramide, 1% of Loxiol

[0111] b. 98% of biodegradable polyesteramide, 2% of Loxiol

[0112] Result of infusion test:

[0113] none of the bags came undone.

[0114] For comparison, a filter material was produced as per the abovedirections, except that the biodegradable heatsealable polymeric fiberswere replaced by a nonbiodegradable vinyl chloride-vinyl acetatecopolymer.

[0115] None of the three bags fabricated therefrom came undone in theinfusion test described above.

What is claimed is:
 1. Filter material which contains heatsealable,biodegradable and compostable polymeric fibers and is characterized inthat it additionally contains a lubricant in an amount from 0.5 to 5.0%by weight, based on the paper weight of the ready-produced filtermaterial.
 2. Filter material according to claim 1, wherein theheatsealable, biodegradable and compostable polymeric fibers areselected from the following group of polymers: aliphatic or partlyaromatic polyesters: A) from aliphatic bifunctional alcohols, preferablylinear C₂ to C₁₀ dialcohols such as for example ethanediol, butanediol,hexanediol or more preferably butanediol and/or optionallycycloaliphatic bifunctional alcohols, preferably having 5 or 6 carbonatoms in the cycloaliphatic ring, such as for examplecyclohexanedimethanol, and/or, partly or wholly instead of the diols,monomeric or oligomeric polyols based on ethylene glycol, propyleneglycol, tetrahydrofuran or copolymers thereof having molecular weightsup to 4 000, preferably up to 1 000, and/or optionally small amounts ofbranched bifunctional alcohols, preferably C₃-C₁₂ alkyldiols, such asfor example neopentylglycol, and additionally optionally small amountsof more highly functional alcohols such as for example1,2,3-propanetriol or trimethylolpropane, and from aliphaticbifunctional acids, preferably C₂-C₁₂ alkyldicarboxylic acids, such asfor example and preferably succinic acid, adipic acid and/or optionallyaromatic bifunctional acids such as for example terephthalic acid,phthalic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid and additionally optionallysmall amounts of more highly functional acids such as for exampletrimellitic acid, or B) from acid- and alcohol-functionalized buildingblocks, preferably having 2 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain forexample hydroxybutyric acid, hydroxyvaleric acid, lactic acid, orderivatives thereof, for example εcaprolactone or dilactide,  or amixture and/or a copolymer containing A and B,  subject to the provisothat the aromatic acids do not account for more than a 50% by weightfraction, based on all acids; aliphatic or partly aromaticpolyesteramides: C) from aliphatic bifunctional alcohols, preferablylinear C₂ to C₁₀ dialcohols such as for example ethanediol, butanediol,hexanediol or more preferably butanediol and/or optionallycycloaliphatic bifunctional alcohols, preferably having 5 to 8 carbonatoms in the cycloaliphatic ring, such as for examplecyclohexanedimethanol, and/or, partly or wholly instead of the diols,monomeric or oligomeric polyols based on ethylene glycol, propyleneglycol, tetrahydrofuran or copolymers thereof having molecular weightsup to 4 000, preferably up to 1 000, and/or optionally small amounts ofbranched bifunctional alcohols, preferably C₂-C₁₂ alkyldicarboxylicacids, such as for example neopentylglycol, and additionally optionallysmall amounts of more highly functional alcohols such as for example1,2,3-propanetriol or trimethylolpropane, and from aliphaticbifunctional acids, such as for example and preferably succinic acid,adipic acid and/or optionally aromatic bifunctional acids such as forexample terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylicacid and additionally optionally small amounts of more highly functionalacids such as for example trimellitic acid, or D) from acid- andalcohol-functionalized building blocks, preferably having 2 to 12 carbonatoms in the carbon chain for example hydroxybutyric acid,hydroxyvaleric acid, lactic acid, or derivatives thereof, for exampleE-caprolactone or dilactide,  or a mixture and/or a copolymer containingC) and D),  subject to the proviso that the aromatic acids do notaccount for more than a 50% by weight fraction, based on all acids, E)with an amide fraction from aliphatic and/or cycloaliphatic bifunctionaland/or optionally small amounts of branched bifunctional amines,preference is given to linear aliphatic C₂ to. C₁₀ diamines, andadditionally optionally small amounts of more highly functional amines,among amines: preferably hexamethylenediamine, isophoronediamine andmore preferably hexamethylenediamine, and from linear and/orcycloaliphatic bifunctional acids, preferably having 2 to 12 carbonatoms in the alkyl chain or C₅ or C₆ ring in the case of cycloaliphaticacids, preferably adipic acid, and/or optionally small amounts ofbranched bifunctional and/or optionally aromatic bifunctional acids suchas for example terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid,naphthalenedicarboxylic acid and additionally optionally small amountsof more highly functional acids, preferably having 2 to 10 carbon atoms,or F) with an amide fraction of acid- and amine-functionalized buildingblocks, preferably having 4 to 20 carbon atoms in the cycloaliphaticchain, preferably ω-laurolactam, ε-caprolactam, and more preferablyε-caprolactam,  or a mixture containing E) and F) as an amide fraction,subject to the proviso that  the ester fraction C) and/or D) is at least20% by weight, based on the sum total of C), D), E) and F), preferablythe weight fraction of the ester structures is in the range from 20 to80% by weight and the fraction of amide structures is in the range from80 to 20% by weight.
 3. Filter material according to claim 1 or 2,wherein the filter material further contains a further component whichcomprises natural fibers.
 4. Filter material according to any one ofclaims 1 to 3, wherein the filter material is produced from two or moreplies of different components, at least one ply containing naturalfibers and one ply containing fibers composed of a blend of fibers of abiodegradable and compostable material and a lubricant, subject to theproviso that the at least two plies be able to partially interpenetrateeach other after the production of the filter material.
 5. Filtermaterial according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first plyhas a basis weight between 8 and 40 g/m² and a DIN ISO 9237 airpermeability from 300 to 4 000 l/m²•s.
 6. Filter material according toany one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second ply with the fiberscomposed of the biodegradable and compostable material has a basisweight from 1 to 15 g/m².
 7. Filter material according to any one ofclaims 1 to 6, wherein the first ply consists of natural fibers and isconstructed to have wet strength.
 8. Filter material according to anyone of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lubricant is selected from hydrocarbonoils, hydrocarbon waxes or silicone oils.
 9. Filter material accordingto claim 8, wherein the lubricant is selected from fatty acid esters oflong-chain fatty acids having a chain length from 10 to 40 carbon atoms.10. A process for producing a filter material, characterized in that afilter material is produced in the course of a wet-laid process byincorporating a lubricant in an amount from 0.5 to 5.0% by weight, basedon the paper weight of the ready-produced filter material.
 11. A processfor producing a filter material, characterized in that a blend of fibersof a heatsealable, biodegradable and compostable material and alubricant in an amount from 0.5 to 5.0% by weight, based on the paperweight of the ready-produced filter material, is laid down in the courseof a melt-blown process on a first ply customarily of natural fibers.12. The use of the filter material according to any one of claims 1 to 9for producing tea bags, coffee bags or tea or coffee filters.